Nations will fall? Revisiting the economic determinants of attitudes to European integration

Abstract

A model is constructed, using Eurobarometer data, of the propensity of individuals to favour European integration. A key role is played by economic considerations: countries in which income per capita is relatively low contain individuals that are more positive in their attitudes to Europe; growth is associated with more positive attitudes; economic fluctuations, above a threshold, are associated with more negative attitudes. Correcting for multicollinearity increases the explanatory power of many variables, and weakens the power of country dummies.